The Christian Ethical Investment Group

The Christian Ethical Investment Group (CEIG) was originally founded in 1988 to promote a stronger ethical investment policy within the Church of England. In 1997 it became fully ecumenical and committed itself to 'promoting debate and the development of vigorous ethical investment policies within all Christian churches'.

In January 2008, after a period of dialogue with ECCR, CEIG held an Extraordinary General Meeting at which it resolved to dissolve itself as an organisation and transfer its assets, membership and administrative functions to ECCR.

Former CEIG Chair Gavin Oldham writes:

'The Christian Ethical Investment Group was established in 1988 to encourage a more responsible stance to investing Church of England funds ethically. Its origins were particularly related to the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, and the concern that many companies in which the Church had significant holdings were active in their complicity with that regime.

'Canon Bill Whiffen was the main mover behind CEIG, and he worked closely with the Bishop of Oxford to prepare for the Bishop's landmark case against the Church Commissioners in 1991. CEIG was therefore largely responsible for one of the most significant legal judgements in the history of charity investment.

'During the 1990s CEIG continued to encourage proper ethical oversight of Church investment, and largely as a result of its lobbying effort the Church of England formed its Ethical Investment Advisory Group in the second half of that decade. In 1997 CEIG amended its constitution to cover all Christian denominations, while it remained active as a pressure group with the General Synod of the Church of England.

'Another leading figure in its development was Mike Tyrrell, whose business experience helped to bring a pragmatic awareness of the issues facing those in the world of work. His premature death in 2002 removed a colourful and vigorous campaigner from the organisation, and Gavin Oldham, who is also a member of the Ethical Investment Advisory Group, chaired CEIG until its merger with ECCR in 2008. Over the past few years, issues of concern have included the environment, making the Church's ethical policy more relevant for parishes and parishioners, and better awareness of the cost of investing ethically.

'As we move forward, there is an increasing focus on engagement with companies rather than disinvestment, and this provides a strong logic for the decision to combine forces with the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility.'

CEIG documents

The links below give access to documentation that has been incorporated as a partial record of CEIG's work.